


nothing sweeter than you

by sweetrevenge



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Black Friday, Fluff, Honestly are there even any black friday fics out there, M/M, Shopping, Thanksgiving, many mentions of Breaking Bad, this is so cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 15:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5295794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetrevenge/pseuds/sweetrevenge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em> “Harry Styles!” He blurts out suddenly, reaching his arm out violently, the hand warmers he was holding flying to hit smack dab in the middle of the stranger's chest. </em>
</p><p>  <em> Harry’s eyes widen, but before he can blurt an apology, he hears the same giggle escape his companion, and the sound makes him join in. Their laughs seem louder in the cold darkness, warming him from the inside out. </em></p><p>  <em> “I’m Louis Tomlinson.” The stranger says, flashing that dazzling smile, extending his hand towards Harry. “I love the formality. Oh, and thank you so much for these hand warmers.” He says, winking. </em><br/> <br/>Harry and Louis meet waiting in line for Black Friday deals. It's meant to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	nothing sweeter than you

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving if you celebrate and I hope you enjoy this little thing I wrote.

“I _told_ you, I’m getting out of the car now and walking towards the line. I’ll stay here until I get your TV okay?”

Harry rolls his eyes at the voice on the other line. His sister Gemma is barking instructions across the line; instructions that Harry has already memorized, because she made him write it down, recite it back to her, and then gave him a written quiz on it twice before he left. Add that to the email instructions she’s been sending him for the past two weeks and he’s pretty confident he can remember to buy the right television.

“Harry Edward Styles! Listen to me. I swear...if you don’t get the right TV….”

Harry groans and recites her choice back, “The Sony 55” Classic - 2160p Smart 3D, 4K, ULTRA HD TV.”

“In what color young man?” She asks.

“Ugh. Black.” Harry replies, “Listen. You don’t have to worry. I _have_ been Black Friday shopping before and you should just be thankful I’m out here in the cold while you get to lay around all day.”

Harry can hear the eye roll from across the call, “I have a broken leg! How _very_ dare you.”

“Love you Gems, get some rest.” Harry says, ending the call before she can ask him to recite the kind of TV she wants, yet again. He cranks the heat in his car, shuddering at the fact that it's telling him the temperature outside is 30 degrees. So.... it's officially cold enough to freeze ice and he’s being forced to sit outside in the cold for eight hours.

Despite that, Harry’s prepared. He’s no stranger to Black Friday shopping, his mom and sister never ones to pass up good deals. He’s got a sleeping bag and a pillow, hand warmers and gloves, a hat, and an entire thermos of tea. He gives himself another minute in the comfort of his warm car, then grabs his supplies and makes his way towards Best Buy.

There’s already a long line of people against the brick wall of the building and Harry makes his way to the end of it. His cell phone rings again and of course, it’s Gemma, confirming for what feels like the hundredth time to ask him which television he’s buying.

“Gem. I told you, I have it covered. You’ll get your TV.” Harry says as he answers. It silences her quickly.

He lays on the guilt trip for another few minutes, playing up just how cold it is and just how long the line is and the fact that it’ll still be another nine hours before he’s home with her precious flat screen, blockbuster sale be damned.

She gets the message then, and instead of asking him to repeat the name, she thanks him a few more times.

“I’m serious Harry, I really appreciate this.” She says, “And don’t worry, there will be tea and biscuits on the table when you get home. And then you can sleep all day.”

“Thanks Gem, I love you. And seriously, don’t feel bad.”

She gets a bit loopy then, from the pain meds she's been taking for her leg and Gemma’s fiancé, Ben gets on the line to inform him of the fact. They talk about the Packers game for awhile but Harry can hear the yawn in his voice so he says his goodbyes.

Unfortunately, the absence of Gemma and Ben’s voices on the other line leaves Harry pretty lonely. He has his iPad at least, and two seasons of Breaking Bad left, so he figures it could be worse.

He shoves himself into his sleeping bag, settles into his lawn chair, and snuggles up with his headphones in, netflix loading onto his Ipad. Thank god for LTE, honestly.

He’s halfway through the Breaking Bad episode where Walt and Jesse fight off the fly in the lab when he feels his toes start to tingle. His ears are getting cold too, the chilly air somehow making wearing headphones uncomfortable.

As much as he loves his sister, this is pretty miserable. It’s midnight and the store doesn’t open until 6 AM and Starbucks wasn’t even open so he doesn’t  have a Peppermint Mocha to bide his time. He’s such a good brother, honestly. He’s mentally patting himself on the back when he hears a voice above him. It’s muffled, because of his headphones and thick hat so he yanks them out and looks up.

It’s like one of those moments in a rom-com, when the pretty protagonist runs into the handsome man she’s meant to be with as they exit the elevator, or she drops all her textbooks and he helps her pick them up, you know, the really cheesy stuff that Harry eats up. Except it’s Harry, outside of a Best Buy, wearing one of his sister’s hats, with cheez-it crumbs all over his chin.

The boy in front of him is dreamy. He’s wearing one of those puffy coats that go down to your ankles and an equally embarrassing hat on, his with a little pink puff at the top. He has on glasses, which is hot and cute and adorable all mixed into one, and he’s smiling bright, despite the cold. He has these little crinkles beside his eyes and Harry once again, misses what he says because he’s enraptured by the crinkles.

“You alright there curly?”

Harry blushes immediately because it isn’t that often that complete strangers give you a nickname, especially strangers that have swoopy, swirly hair and a perfect smile.

He nods, trying his best to maneuver his way out of his chair, out of his sleeping bag, and to stand upright in front of the stranger.

“You seem pretty prepared for this then?” He asks, nodding towards all of Harry’s supplies.

“Yes! I’m a veteran of the Black Friday shopping, plus I get cold all the time, so I always have this stuff in my trunk.”

The stranger giggles, which makes Harry melt a bit inside. “Makes sense, skinny min.”

“Harry Styles!” He blurts out suddenly, reaching his hand out violently, the hand warmers he was holding flying to hit smack dab in the middle of the stranger's chest.

Harry’s eyes widen but before he can blurt an apology, he hears the same giggle escape his companion, and the sound makes him join in. Their laughs seem louder in the cold darkness, warming him from the inside out.

“I’m Louis Tomlinson.” The stranger says, flashing that dazzling smile, extending his hand towards Harry. “I love the formality. Oh, and thank you so much for these hand warmers.” He says, winking.

“Anytime.” Harry says. He’s suddenly very thankful for the cold weather for making his cheeks rosy - it hides his blush perfectly.

“Uh. So what brings you out here tonight?” he asks, wanting desperately to get rid of his blush, worried it might give away his feelings too quickly. After all, he literally _just_ met Louis and in his head, he’s already writing his vows.

Louis sighs exasperatedly, but smiles anyway. “I’ve got 6 siblings, so it’s honestly a necessity for this family.”

Harry gasps, “Wow! 6? That’s incredible.”

“Yup,” Louis says, shaking his head with a smile, “They’re all younger, but I love them to pieces. My step-dad watches the kids and Mum and I head out for a long day of Black Friday shopping each year. She’s over at the mall, getting clothes and I’m here, on electronics duty.””

“That’s really sweet, you helping your mom like that.”

“You’re a charming one, aren’t you?” Louis says. Harry notices it’s now Louis’ turn to blush and tries not to feel too smug about it.

“So. Why are you out here in the cold then?”

“Similar familial duties…” Harry replies, “My sister broke her leg and wants this super specific TV and I’m her kid brother, so…”

“So you got stuck out here?”

“Pretty much.” Harry says.

“You here with anyone?” Louis asks, “Friend? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

Harry can tell what he’s doing, it’s glaringly obvious, especially because Louis is barely making eye contact as he asks, but it’s endearing and makes Harry feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

“Nope, just me. No boyfriend. Here, or anywhere else.”

“Good to know.” Louis says, grinning openly. Harry admires his confidence.

“I don’t suppose you would want a cup of tea? I have a whole thermos.” Harry gestures towards the large red thermos sitting beside his lawn chair. “I even have an extra cup!”

Louis looks like he’s freezing so Harry’s not surprised when he lights up and accepts his offer, grabbing his own supplies from where he was sitting ahead of Harry in line, plopping down on the ground against the brick wall. The concrete is freezing, but Harry’s happy to abandon his lawn chair in favor of smushing against Louis, his body emitting heat even in the freezing weather.

He pours the two of them tea and watches happily as Louis shudders with relief as he takes his first drink.

“This is amazing. Can I have you make me tea everyday? You’ve got the magic touch.”

“I suppose that could be arranged,” Harry says. He reaches into his backpack for a box of shortbread cookies, offering the package to Louis.

“Tea and shortbread? Be careful I might have to make you an honest man out of you!"

Harry laughs nervously, hoping Louis’ blithely unaware of just how good that actually sounds.

“Ahhh, Breaking Bad, sick!” Louis exclaims suddenly, Harry’s iPad still open on top of the sleeping bag they’re now huddled together under. “What season are you on?”

“I’m almost done with the third season now and it’s absolutely brilliant.” He says, pleased that Louis approves of his pick and thankful he’s not ribbing him on how late he is to the show. “I’m on the episode where the fly gets caught in the lab.”

“Ah, fucking awesome man, I love this one.” Louis says happily, munching away at the shortbread.

“Uh, would you maybe want to watch with me?” Harry asks, offering up one of his earbuds to Louis.

“Absolutely,” Louis says, grabbing the earbud from Harry’s hand.

Harry plays the episode, Louis snuggling in beside him. He tries to focus on the show, but Louis’s warm body beside him, coupled with the giggles and gasps he emits during the course of the episode make it really hard for Harry to concentrate on Walt’s homemade fly swatter.

When the episode ends, Harry’s not sure he remembers anything that happened.

Louis’ excited though, eagerly talking at Harry about the episode and the seasons prior, being careful not to spoil what happens for him. (Even though Harry’s been spoiled already, no thanks to Gemma)

They talk about the show for awhile longer, sharing the rest of the tea and shortbread. Their conversation turns to their all-time favorite TV shows (for Louis, Breaking Bad and for Harry, Parks and Recreation) and then to their favorite movies and bands, and celebrity crushes when they were younger. Harry’s happy to hear that Louis had a serious crush on Chad Michael Murray, while Louis wrinkles his nose at Harry’s choice of James Van Der Beek. So what? He watched Dawson’s Creek with Gemma when he was younger, sue him.

Harry tells Louis about his job at the local newspaper and he learns that Louis’ a teacher at one of the elementary schools on the other side of town, teaching 2nd grade, and he absolutely loves it.

“You don’t get tired of being with kids all the time then?” Harry asks.

“Nah, I love them to pieces. I grew up with all younger siblings too so I think maybe it’s a comfort thing.” Louis says thoughtfully. “I love kids. Can’t wait to have my own brood - enough to lose count.”

“That’s really sweet Louis.” Harry says.

“You’re really sweet Harry.”

They both blush then, and it’s just as cheesy as it sounds.

~~~~~~~~~

Around 3 a.m., Harry holds Louis’ spot in line while he drives to McDonald's to get them coffee.

When he returns, he’s got the cutest little grimace on his face. He’s holding two coffee cups though and Harry grins when one of his little hands shoves a cup towards his chest.

“Thanks mate.”

Louis shrugs. “It’s the least I could do, especially since I drank all your tea and then got to be inside the nice warm car for a little bit. I could’ve stayed there I reckon.”

Harry wraps his fingers around the to-go coffee cup, hands warming instantly as the hot coffee spreads. “Why didn’t you then?”

Louis makes his way back over to where Harry’s sitting against the brick wall, shoving himself underneath the sleeping bag they had been sharing before. “Couldn’t really leave you could I?” He says, instantly blushing, despite how he might try to hide it with the collar of his jacket.

“Oh really?”

“Plus, the gifts for my siblings, ya know?”

Harry smirks, “Yup. I understand.”

They sit in comfortable silence for awhile and it’s not a surprise that Harry finds himself drifting off. Louis is humming a Christmas song he can’t quite recognize under his breath and the sound is oddly comforting. He sleeps on Louis’ shoulder for awhile, the cold waking him up after a fitful nap.

They watch another episode of Breaking Bad after that, delving back into the topic of television, which turns into the topic of television characters, which turns into a lively debate about which Harry Potter book is the best (obviously Prisoner of Azkaban, which Harry is happy to learn Louis agrees with), and somehow turns into a discussion on Magic Mike and whether or not Matthew McConaughey is actually hot. (He’s definitely not)

“You know, I take pole-dancing lessons.” Louis says suddenly.

Harry chokes on his own spit.

“You do what?”

“It’s really great exercise. Good for the core.” He explains. “Plus, I’m so much more flexible now.”

Harry’s sure he’s openly gaping at this point. He really can’t help but picture Louis doing just that. The thought makes his pants tighten just slightly.

It’s that point when he hears the sound of a megaphone ahead of them in line. It’s the manager of the store, informing them that it’s almost time to enter. Harry's grateful for the announcement. He's not sure he could handle hearing anything more about Louis Tomlinson - part-time teacher, part-time pole dancer, full-time dream hunk.

They pack everything up and Harry runs to his car to drop it all off so his hands can be free to find the TV for Gemma.

When he gets back to line, Louis is up and pacing in their area. Harry can tell he’s trying to get warm.

“Just think, in five minutes, we’ll be warm inside.” Harry says, getting close to Louis, “And then we get to go home! And sleep!”

“Nothing sounds better right now.” Louis says, eyes drooping. He rests his head against Harry’s chest then, and the sight is unbearable. Harry wraps his arms around Louis and his puffy coat and hugs him tight.

The line begins to move steadily after that, and as they near the front, Louis turns to Harry suddenly.

“Want to stay together in there? I could use your abnormal tallness to protect me since I don’t fancy getting trampled today.”

Harry grins, “Sure, I’d be happy to protect you, shorty.”

Louis rolls his eyes, ignoring the comment, “Good. Let’s start at the left then, near the cameras and then we’ll make our way to the TV’s to grab Gemma’s and then we’ll circle back around for more gifts.”

“Sounds good!” Harry says, “Let’s be in and out in thirty minutes, I need to sleep.”

“Thirty minutes, easy-peasy.”

~~~~~~~~~

2 hours later, they’re finally walking out of the store, three carts of purchases between them. The thirty minute plan had gone out the window as soon as they walked in and Harry spotted the large selection of blenders. They didn’t make it to the TVs until an hour in and spent the rest of the time scrambling to find gifts for Louis’ siblings and parents.

So one keurig, a water purifier, a soda stream, a high-powered microwave, a humidifier, two nutribullets, 14 DVDs, one camera, two TVs, and 1 iPad later, Harry and Louis have finally made their way to their cars.

“Good haul, then.” Harry says, lifting the microwave into his trunk.

Louis grins as he finishes emptying the carts of his purchases. “Not too shabby, curly.”

Harry’s taking his time to arrange all the boxes in his trunk, and so is Louis. They’re stalling and it’s pretty obvious.

Finally, Louis sighs and turns to Harry.

“So, this was incredibly fun and you’re incredibly nice and funny and cute, so can I have your number?" He asks. “I don’t fancy this being the last time I get to see you.”

Harry blushes, “Thought you’d never ask,” He says, grabbing for his phone to add Louis’ number.

They exchange numbers, then exchange hugs. Then they put the carts back, and hug a few more times. Harry is desperate to kiss Louis, but he doesn’t want their first kiss to be post-Black Friday shopping, mouth stale with McDonald's coffee and shortbread.

“So this was great.” Louis says, walking Harry to the drivers side of his car, “And I’m going to call you.”

“You better.”

“I will.” Louis says, and he looks serious now. “Because this was really something Harry, I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with someone in a long time. And I don’t really plan on letting you get away. Not for anything.”

Harry feels like he might burst into flames, Louis’ words flowing across every surface of his body, inside and out. It’s only been a few hours, but this crinkly-eyed boy already has such a hold on him. He’s not sure he really minds.

~~~~~~~~~

The next year, when they go Black Friday shopping, Harry’s got a shiny new ring on his finger and a grin plastered to his face, thermos filled with tea and backpack stuffed with shortbread and Breaking Bad.

But best of all, he’s got Louis Tomlinson next to him, the boy he unexpectedly found shopping and the boy he plans on keeping for the rest of his life.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos' are greatly appreciated! 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr - cocoalou.tumblr.com Come say hi!


End file.
